Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race-winner Tom
Chilton tested at Brands Hatch yesterday (Monday) as he prepares to
make his comeback with fellow returnees Vauxhall this weekend (1/2
April) at Brands Hatch.

Tom was last seen in the BTCC in 2011, his tenth year in the
series, and since then he's raced in the WTCC, whilst his Formula
1-driving brother Max grabbed the family limelight. With Max now
racing IndyCars in America, Tom is back in the BTCC with Vauxhall,
last seen in 2009.

Tom, who lives in Reigate, is pleased to be making his comeback
at his home circuit. "I've done a lot of instructing in lots of
different cars around here," he said. "I've been trying to set up
the new Vauxhall Astra around Brands. I love this circuit, I
qualified on pole here last time I was driving an Astra in 2006 and
I won my last BTCC race in 2011, so I'd love to get out of the box
and win the first."

Tom's previous sojourn with Vauxhall was in 2007, when Triple 8
ran the team. This time, however, Power Maxed Racing will be
preparing the cars. The outfit win praise for its debut season
performance two years ago, when Josh Cook and Dave Newsham drove
Chevrolet Cruzes.

"The car when we first drove it did very different things from
what the Chevrolet did when I was driving it," Tom said. "It has a
lot shorter wheelbase, so we've had to do a lot of adjustments to
the chassis. I've had to do a lot of work, but now I feel like its
flying. I just finished that last race run thinking I'm pretty
happy with it!"

Finding a balance is crucial, since 32 cars will be attempting
to qualify on the 1.2 mile Indy circuit this weekend, so making the
most of a clear lap will be key. "It's pretty crazy," Tom agreed.
"Everyone's going to be leaving the pitlane thinking they can win
and they're probably right. For us it's a massive great unknown,
but I'm positive. If you're not there's no point going out, you
might as well wind your window down and go 'after you'! We think
we've got a great chance."

If the Vauxhall Astras qualify well on Saturday, it will be
testament to Tom's knowledge of Brands Hatch. Despite 2017 marking
15 years since he made his BTCC debut, appropriately enough in an
Astra, he's still a mere 32 years-old, but has already made future
plans involving the track: "I've spent so much time here over the
last few years, I've said I want a quarter of my ashes spread
somewhere at Brands Hatch, half in Cornwall where I spent a lot of
time as a kid in the summer holidays, and the other quarter in
Barbados so they get to have a holiday!"

Tickets for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car
Championship at Brands Hatch on 1/2 April are available from £27,
with free entry for under-13s. For more information or to book,
call 0843 453 9000 or click here.